Articles

Easter Lily, Lilium longiflorum

You can readily find Easter lilies in bloom at this time of year. This hardy bulb is forced out of season to provide floral displays for this holiday. Whether you want these fragrant flowers to brighten your home at this time of year, or would just like to have them bloom in your garden at their normal time, this is a plant well worth getting to know. Read on to learn more about Lilium longiflorum …

Blue False Indigo, Baptisia australis

Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) is an under-used tough, but beautiful, prairie native with purple-blue flowers and attractive foliage throughout the season.
Learn more about blue false indigo in this article.

Dill, Anethum graveolens

Every year the International Herb Association chooses one plant that is used as an herb to highlight. For 2010 this plant is dill. There’s more to this culinary herb than just pickles! Read more…

String of Hearts, Ceropegia woodii

Hearts abound in mid-February, so now is a good time to learn about String of Hearts. This tender African succulent plant with heart-shaped leaves is easily grown as a houseplant. Read more…

Jade Plant, Crassula ovata

Jade Plant (Crassula ovata) is a tender succulent south African native that is very easy to grow and propagate, making it a popular houseplant. This article provides information on caring for and propagating Jade Plants.

Crown of Thorns, Euphorbia milii

Flowering houseplants are not as common as indoor foliage plants. If you want a tough plant that produces bright or pastel colored flowers, consider crown of thorns. There are a wide variety of cultivars of this succulent species to choose from. To learn more about this plant and how to care for it, keep reading…

Ponytail Palm, Beaucarnea recurvata

It’s called a ponytail palm, but isn’t really a palm. This succulent plant sort of resembles a palm with its long leaves on a single stem. Its enlarged base gives rise to its other common name of elephant’s foot tree. It makes a low-maintenance houseplant here in the Midwest. To find out more about this easy-to-grow species, keep reading…

Nerine bowdenii

It’s getting pretty late in the season for new flowers, but there is one plant that is in bloom now. It’s a tender bulb from South Africa, but does great in container culture. To find out what plant this is and how to grow it, read on…

Fiber Optic Grass, Isolepis cernua

Fiber optic grass (actually a sedge) is a low maintenance plant with small flower spikes at the tips of the grass-like stems reminiscent of those fiber optic lamps. Although it’s not hardy here and is frequently used as an annual and you can overwinter it in the house. Read more on fiber optic grass in this article.

'Prairie Sun' Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta

Make a splash in the garden with a brightly colored black-eyed Susan – minus the black eye. ‘Prairie Sun’ is a former All America Selections winner with a green center and rich, orange and yellow petals. Learn more about this intriguing cultivar …

Peacock Orchid, Gladiolus murielae (= Acidanthera bicolor)

Peacock orchid, actually in the Iris family, is a fragrant species of Gladiolus easily grown as a tender summer bulb in our climate. Learn more about this interesting flower in this article.

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus

You’ve probably noticed elongated, orange beetles roaming about on flowers lately. These goldenrod soldier beetles are the most common species of soldier beetle in our area. They are common at this time of year, feeding on pollen and maybe the occasional small insect. Read this article to find out more about these insects…